


largo and allegro

by orro



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Coach Katsuki Yuuri, Coach Yuri Plisetsky, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-06-27 08:05:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15681369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orro/pseuds/orro
Summary: Yuri can still hear Victor’s chuckle at the irony of their students; Yuri’s so shy and Yuuri’s headstrong. They share the name ‘Maria’, Marie has an active social media presence while Masha has struggled with putting herself out there, and Masha’s steps and spins are divine while Marie is the power jumper.The sequel to Agape and Eros; Yuri can admit it’s a catchy headline and it’s not the furthest stretch the media has made. But Masha and Marie are more than that, something that irks at both Yuri and Yuuri, because they don’t deserve to be overshadowed by their coaches.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Jo and Mac for running such a good zine experience! They have worked so hard ;~;

“How do you have so much crap?” Yurio calls out in greeting as he climbs over the boxes littered at the entrance. He huffs at the bedroom door, looking more put out than he actually is.

“Yuuri asked me the same thing,” Victor says absently as he clears out the nightstand. He gives Yurio a bright smile. “Did you come to help me pack?”

“No, I came to yell at you. You gave my student the wrong piece. Masha wanted the slower paced version,” Yurio says and tries to hand the CD back. Victor takes one glance at it.

“I didn’t,” Victor says and Yurio groans.

“Not this shit again.”

“Agape didn’t teach you your lesson?” Victor jokingly chides as he stacks his picture frames. “Masha doesn’t know herself. She has a lot to learn before she can choreograph her own pieces. That’s why you hired me to choreograph for your student, right?”

“I regret so many of my life choices,” Yurio says.

Victor ignores Yurio’s complaints and smiles over his photos, running his fingers over the ridged snowflakes of the frame. He’s a very excellent choreographer, high in demand, and even with his friends and family discount he makes a pretty profit. Yurio might not always want his help but he needs the best for an Olympic year. And that means going to Victor, since Yuuri won’t be available for choreography when he has his own students to consider.

“Is this a reliving your greatest highlights thing? The sequel to Agape versus Eros? That’s pathetic, even for you.”

Victor pretends like he doesn’t notice Yurio’s gaze.

“Victor.”

“It’ll be interesting, won’t it?” Victor says lightly. “Two skaters with similar pieces, cut differently to suit their strengths, fighting for the top spot in a battle that really will determine who is the better athlete?”

“You’re ridiculous,” Yurio says. He scoffs but grabs the tape and rips off a long piece, nodding with his head for Victor to hold the flaps of the cardboard box down. “Masha will wipe the ice with Marie. Katsudon’s girl doesn’t have a chance.”

“It’s funny that you ended up with the shy student and my Yuuri has the headstrong one,” Victor says with a laugh as Yurio tapes the box down with more force than is necessary. “Thank you, by the way. I always struggle with the tape.”

“Sure, whatever,” Yurio says. “Let’s get you back home to Japan so I don’t have to deal with you moping around the rink. Even Yuuri thinks it’s ridiculous.”

“So mean,” Victor pretends to whine, laughing when Yurio mutters unintelligibly under his breath.

He always misses Yurio and the others when he’s in Japan. But Hasetsu is home and Yuuri is waiting for him.


	2. Chapter 2

“Put that jacket back on. I am not interviewing you in that shirt. I can’t believe your husband let you walk out of the hotel like that,” Phichit says, not even bothering to look Yuuri in the eyes as he eviscerates him.

“What’s wrong with my shirt?” Yuuri asks, looking down at himself with a puzzled look, even as he listens to Phichit’s absurd request.

“It doesn’t match the rest of your outfit,” Phichit says. He looks at Yuuri again then sighs. “Okay, I get why Victor let it happen. Definitely put the jacket on; you need to cover up those hickeys.”

Yuuri mutters under his breath and starts finger combing his hair, well aware that if he’s marked up, Victor definitely gave him sex hair too. Phichit lets him make the futile attempt for a minute before he takes pity on him and pulls a brush from nowhere to attack him.

“Just like Detroit,” Yuuri says with a joking smile. He’s much more comfortable now with interviews than he was as a kid; they’re a necessary evil. But it’s so nice to chat with Phichit, even if there’s a video camera rolling and way too many lights.

“Excuse you, I’m a professional now,” Phichit says, grinning, as he sits them both down.

“A professional at taking advantage of me; you know how I feel about interviews,” Yuuri says without malice, playfully petulant. He gives him the brush back and Phichit sets it down then kicks it out of the frame of the cameras.

“Best friend privileges,” Phichit declares to Yuuri’s fond eye roll. He sits up a little straighter, makes sure his microphone is on, then begins with the obligatory introductions. “So tell me about this rivalry. As I understand it, Victor Nikiforov has composed two pieces this season, for your student and Yuri Plisetsky’s.”

“Yes, he’s made two programs cut from different sections of Rhapsody in Blue,” Yuuri explains, keeping his eyes on Phichit except when he needs to look directly into the camera. He can still hear an echo from Detroit, a higher pitched Phichit explaining how eye contact was important for the viewers. “He wanted to bring out different elements of their skating and I think it’s pushed them both to a new level.”

“What do you mean by that?” Phichit asks.

Yuuri lets himself think for a moment to find the right words. He knows Phichit will wait. Yuuri leans towards Phichit a little once he has his response ready.

“Some skaters lean towards technical elements while others rely more on their presentation scores. Marie focuses on her jumps which is absolutely vital but she lets the rest of her performance suffer. The choreography of this piece demands an attention to detail that she’s always tried to rush before.”

“Victor Nikiforov has developed a reputation for creating choreography that is in tune with the individual. Do you think he’s managed that with Marie this time around?”

“I think it would be better to say that she’s made it her own,” Yuuri says. “She’s spoiled a little since Victor knows her well. It’s definitely easier on them both over choreographing for a stranger; but it’s still her job to take that choreography and skate it to win. And that’s the work she’s put in over the past year.

“Yuri Plisetsky’s student has a piece set to Rhapsody in Blue as well.”

“Yes, Masha has the ‘allegro’ version and Marie has the ‘largo’ one.”

“Isn’t it very much a sequel to the Hot Springs on Ice competition between yourself and Yuri Plisetsky?”

“Partially,” Yuuri says. He laughs a little. “But Marie and Masha are much better friends than Yuri and I were at the time.”

Phichit gives a professional, acceptable laugh. Yuuri can already tell he’s going to be bent over howling when they’re done.

“Both women have been working hard to get to this point. I hope everyone can watch them, not as students of ours, but as competitors in their own rights.”

“Of course,” Phichit says. “Good luck to them both, and we hope to see them do well.”

Phichit rounds out the interview and then he glares at Yuuri, pointing his finger at him in mock anger.

“I almost choked trying not to laugh!” Yuuri shrugged with a helpless smile. Phichit breaks and Yuuri watches him, grinning. Once Phichit finishes, he carefully wiping away at his eyes and then reaches over to smack Yuuri’s knee. “You can’t ruin my videos like that!”

“Don’t you have someone else to interview?”

“I have all the people to interview here,” Phichit says. He’s already got his phone out. “But I’ve got a second audience to please here. Take your glasses off and smile for me?”

“The glasses stay on,” Yuuri says. “And I’m surprised you didn’t want a picture before.”

“No time,” Phichit says with a dramatic sigh as he gets up and bends over to sling his arm around Yuuri’s shoulders, pulling his shirt down enough to show the bruises. Yuuri bats his hand away to cover himself up again. “Someone came late.”

“Not that late,” Yuuri protests once Phichit has taken a suitable number of photos. 

“I already forgave you, you adorably smitten man,” Phichit says. He takes a minute to pick the best photo and to write up a tagline. Then he glances at the time and pulls a face. “I should go.”

“We’ll have to meet up again,” Yuuri says, trying to think. He’s got Marie’s schedule to consider and depending on how she places, there’s that press to take into account.

“Yeah,” Phichit says, smiling, a little sad. Yuuri knows he’s busy, reporting for a Thailand who cares about their ice dancers, their two men skaters, and the three women skaters. Their pairs had to pull out due to injury. “Save a date for me, Coach Katsuki.”

“I’ll cancel everything else. Just let me know,” Yuuri says and Phichit gives a little fist pump. He knows that Yuuri is serious.

“Good luck to Marie!” Phichit calls out then departs.

Yuuri waits a moment to watch Phichit walk away with the cameraman, discussing who they need to talk with next and who else they can fit into the schedule. It sounds hectic but perfect for Phichit. Yuuri pulls out his phone and finds a text from his husband and student asking him where he is and how soon he’ll be done. He texts Marie and calls Vitya to figure out where they are; he’s got a skater to coach to a medal and a husband to find in all of this madness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> originally posted on tumblr: https://scribblyorro.tumblr.com/post/171211829299/chasing-gold-background-fic-two


	3. largo and allegro

Masha has the oversized headphones Yuri gave her a year ago on. They help drown out the noise as she stretches backstage. It’d been Yuuri’s suggestion but it works.

She’s in fifth after the short program. But when she’s reaching for gold, it’s not an ideal spot to be in, especially when their rival is in first. Yuri looks over at Yuuri and his student Marie, who is running through her program.

“Come on, Masha,” Yuri says with a nod as the sixth to last skater is called to the ice. Masha pales a little but slips her headphones off and gives them to Yuri.

She’s trembling as she stands on the ice and it isn’t from the cold. Masha grabs his too tightly hands, taking comfort in their small pre-skate ritual.

“Go win your gold medal,” Yuri says. She can do it. 

“Coach,” Masha starts, avoiding his eyes because she enough doubt to fill a stadium. 

“No,” Yuri says and his tone draws her gaze back to him. He draws himself up because he needs her to ignore the camera and the millions of eyes on them. “You have to put it all out there; all of your worries alongside your strength and passion.” 

“Everything,” she whispers, some kind of understanding dawning on her.

Yuri drops his hands to his sides as he watches her skate away. This is the part he struggles with, the emotional side, and in a way he hasn’t changed from the fifteen year old who couldn’t understand Agape. But he’s done his part over his years of coaching; it’s all up to Masha now. 

He smiles as she snaps to the first beats, exactly as they had practiced. This piece doesn’t allow for hesitation. Victor had choreographed it in the spirit of Eros versus Agape; and of course, in that same fashion, he’d given the faster paced piece to the more subdued of the two women.

Four and a half minutes is too long to be all sharp and quick movements so Masha has spaces to breathe; a choreographic sequence that highlights the long fluid lines her tall form can encompass and a drawn out spiral. 

Yuri nods then looks over at Yuuri and Marie, who are riveted. He can see the gears turning in Yuuri’s head even while he can appreciate the performance. Marie watches, hungry to see her rival do well so she can surpass it. 

Yuri tenses as Masha approaches her triple axel. It’s her weakest element and they’ve spent so long practicing it. He jumps along with her, ecstatic as she lands. 

Masha wants to win so badly but Yuri senses none of that in her performance. All he can see before him is the story that she paints on the ice, the way she yearns and fights against the monsters inside of herself. 

He didn’t always understand. But now he knows, and he fights the way his eyes water as Masha flies into her triple lutz, as she soars above all her fears and doubts.

Then she’s spinning one last time, hits her ending pose, and heads towards him. Yuri waits for her to pull her jacket on and drink some water before he congratulates her. 

“I landed everything,” Masha says. “But they could have been cleaner.”

“Accept the congrats, you brat,” Yuri says with a scowl, because she’s already got that disbelieving tone back after an amazing skate. 

Masha’s breath catches in her throat as her score puts her in first place so Yuri smacks her back, partly out of genuine pride and also to get her to breathe again. There’s a shower of glitter from her outfit that he ignores as Masha coughs. 

“Don’t let it get to your head,” Yuri says. “You’re too wobbly on the axel still and-” 

“I got a personal best and a world record? That can’t be right,” Masha says, counting on her fingers. “Someone made a mistake. They’re going to take it back soon.” 

“Cut that out,” Yuri cheerfully snaps. “Get to the green room and smile.” 

Masha obeys, bewildered still, but Yuri keeps it to himself that it’s kind of endearing. 

The fourth, third, and second place skaters go and none of them beat Masha’s score. Yuri wouldn’t be surprised if their hearts had shaken by Masha. 

Then Yuuri and Marie step up, the last skater on the ice, and while the previous skaters hadn’t been anything to scoff at, this is the real threat. 

Yuri can still hear Victor’s chuckle at the irony of their students; Yuri’s so shy and Yuuri’s headstrong. They share the name ‘Maria’, Marie has an active social media presence while Masha has struggled with putting herself out there, and Masha’s steps and spins are divine while Marie is the power jumper. 

The sequel to Agape and Eros; Yuri can admit it’s a catchy headline and it’s not the furthest stretch the media has made. But Masha and Marie are more than that, something that irks at both Yuri and Yuuri, because they don’t deserve to be overshadowed by their coaches. 

The whole stadium and the world online watches as Marie begins to move, slow and measured, dancing the second half of her rivalry.

He winces as Marie falls on her triple lutz then botches her axel combination. It’s the pressure of the biggest competition, something that even an experienced skater can fall victim to. But Marie fights, nails her next jump, and Yuri goes back to watching and waiting. She has a sizable lead from the short program and that might be enough to keep her in first place. 

And while it isn’t like Masha’s skate, he can feel the longing Marie expresses, and how she aches for something out of her reach. He’s glad when she finishes, because while he knows his Masha is better, Marie is a capable rival.

Masha cries out as Marie’s score comes up, loud enough that Yuri can hear her over the crowd. She’s always been quicker with sums and Yuri isn’t surprised when the final numbers tally up a moment later that Marie is second overall. 

“I told you,” Yuri crows as Masha throws herself at him for a hug.

Masha is crying too hard to argue or answer back. Yuri lets her hide her face in his shoulder for a few moments before he jostles her to return to the other skaters. This isn’t just her victory here. Today, she is all of Russia, and when Masha lifts her head he can see that she feels it. 

She’s calm when the officials place the medal around her neck, and Yuri tells himself that he’s not only allowed to cry but expected to. He lets the sight of their flag and the bellowing sound of their anthem wash over him, so proud that he’s overflowing.

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted on tumblr: https://scribblyorro.tumblr.com/post/169154233420/backstory-for-my-yoichasinggoldzine-fic-yuri-and


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